Crowns are also similar to bridges. They both are a type of fixed devices which are applied on your teeth if they are needed. They are different to removable devices such as dentures, where you can take these out and clean them on a daily basis. They both (crowns and bridges) are cemented on your teeth and any implants which have been put it your mouth, but only then can be removed by another dental surgeon. They can be made from many different materials, these materials are normally made using indirect methods.

How do crowns work?

These are normally used to cover up a damaged tooth, or some people may call it a ‘cap’. As well as making the tooth stronger the crown can also be applied to make the tooth look better and have a better shape and alignment. Crowns can also be put on over implants to make it look like a tooth and function like one too. Two of the types of crowns are porcelain and ceramic which can be matched to the same colour of your teeth. There are also other types of materials which involve gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These types of alloys are usually stronger than porcelain, so they are strongly recommended to people for back teeth, but is normally formed to a metal shell because it is both strong and attractive.

Reasons to have a crown

One of the reasons your may need a crown is to replace a large filling which you had put in where the tooth remaining isn’t big enough to cover the rest of the space. Second reason is you might have a very weak tooth and frightened it may get damaged even more, so have a crown put on to protect from fracturing the tooth. Another reason is your dentist may tell you to have a crown, is so then you can have a bridge attached to it. They also might be a tooth which has had root canal treatment, so you might want to cover the tooth up to protect it.

How long do crowns last?

Crowns can normally last a lifetime, but they is a possibility that they may fall out. An important way to ensure that your crown will be worth the lifetime is practice good oral hygiene. Keep your gums healthy as well as your teeth, by doing this you should use fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, as well as also flossing daily. To prevent damage to crowns try and avoid chewing hard foods, ice and other hard objects.